Maurice Pope

Who is Maurice Pope?

Maurice Wildon Montague Pope is a South African and British linguist, specialist in Classical studies and antiquity, one of leading researchers of the Cretan script.

Graduated from Cambridge University. Since 1949 worked as a teaching assistant at the chair of classical studies of Stellenbosch University, lecturer from 1952, professor from 1957.

In 1957 replaced professor George P. Gould who also graduated from Cambridge University in the position of Head of the Chair of Classical Studies. In co-authorship with Gould he published several articles on Minoan Linear A script.

Along with linguistics Pope was interested in archaeology. He often participated in archaeological expeditions, and in 1954 participated in an underwater expedition of the Archaeological School of Athens near Chios.

In 1960s he was Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Cape Town.

In August 1968 he resigned from his position and left the university, as he strongly disagreed with the interference of the racist government in the University's policy